Palm Beach Gardens – October 16, 2008 – Jupiter resident Gordon Martin and his wife, Cheri, have devoted themselves to volunteering for and contributing to Place of Hope and Villages of Hope since moving to the area in 2006. Now, Gordon is using his enthusiasm for helping local children in need to chair Place of Hope’s/Villages of Hope’s $7.25 million Hope for the Future Capital Campaign. His chairmanship was announced at the Hope for the Future Campaign Update Luncheon on Oct. 10 at Trevini Ristorante in Palm Beach.

Gordon brings outstanding leadership experience, as well as a passion for helping abused and neglected children, to the campaign. With more than 20 years of Wall Street banking experience, he recently retired as CFO of NASDAQ. Along with Cheri, Gordon is an active mentor to children in foster care and their family members. He also volunteers his time to provide training and independent living skills development to emancipated former foster youth and homeless youth through Villages of Hope’s Ages to Ages Independent Living Program.

In addition, the Martins have played an integral part in the creation of Joann’s Cottage Children’s Shelter and Maternity Home, a primary component of the Hope for the Future Campaign. Cheri is currently co-chairing with Alex Delange the Third Annual Hope Ball, scheduled for Feb. 6 at The Breakers.

“I feel it’s important to chair the Hope for the Future Campaign, as Cheri and I are committed to advancing Place of Hope’s/Villages of Hope’s vision to better the lives of children and young adults who are in need,” said Gordon.   

The campaign is designed to ensure Place of Hope’s/Villages of Hope’s mission, to provide hope and healing for abused and neglected children and their families throughout Palm Beach County and surrounding regions, now and in the future.

“Gordon is a visionary and proven leader,” said POH/VOH Executive Director Charles L. Bender III. “He’s passionate about the advancement of our mission and vision. Under his leadership in this campaign, I’m certain that we’ll achieve our goal to further provide real hope and healing for our community’s most vulnerable and forgotten children.”

Gordon and Cheri each have two children – two sons, aged 30 and 24, and two daughters, aged 25 and 21. They have three grandchildren. Cheri also serves on the Board of Directors for Place of Hope/Villages of Hope.

The Hope for the Future Capital Campaign is comprised of three core components and three exciting matching challenge grants – Joann’s Cottage will help relocate and expand emergency shelter space for pregnant or parenting foster youth (the $750,000 Martin/Kirkwood/Turri Fund provides a dollar-for-dollar match); the expansion of Villages of Hope will provide more transitional housing and support services for aged out foster and other homeless young adults (the $500,000 Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation grant provides a dollar-for-dollar match) and the Peter & Fern Barsanti Family Life Center at the main POH Paxson campus will provide for the educational, therapeutic and recreational needs of POH children, as well as space for community-based programs (the $500,000 Barsanti Family Foundation grant provides a dollar-for-dollar match).